Sunday, September 22, 2024
Green Bay Public Market gets green light on Broadway
By Kris Leonhardt
Editor-in-chief
GREEN BAY – During its Sept. 17 meeting, the Green Bay City Council approved a development agreement for the property at 211 N. Broadway, Green Bay, which will convert an office building into a public market.
The council also approved a $1 million state trust fund pass-through loan application for the developer of the market.
The project is a 45,000-square-foot community event space planned for the downtown area which will feature vendors offering locally-sourced products.
Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich called it a “transformational project for On Broadway, and probably the most significant one that's occurred within the history of that district.”
“The impact that it'll have on our downtown and economic activity region-wide, I think, is really significant, especially if you connect it to economic activity associated with Milwaukee's Public Market and in others.
“This is a market that has been heavily supported by private philanthropy. The amount that we're contemplating here is really pretty modest, especially when you compare it to a project down in Madison, for example.
“And, obviously, not to take anything away from what they're doing down there, but I think it's in the neighborhood of 86% government-supported with their public market. It's almost the total inverse here.”
Genrich said that the Green Bay development was “in the neighborhood of 14% government-supported.
“It's really a testament, I think, to the strength of the proposal, the fact that the community has stepped up in such a major way.”
Completion of the project is expected in the spring of 2025.
Its opening will coincide with the Milwaukee Public Market’s hosting of the International Public Market conference June 12-14.
“As the largest global conference for public market professionals, it will bring together over 400 public market leaders from all over the world, including a broad mix of market operators and managers, local food and placemaking advocates, civil society groups, policymakers, consultants, academic researchers, and more, to delve into the forefront of market practices and recognize the transformative influence of public markets in shaping vibrant and inclusive urban spaces,” a release from Paige Hammond of the Milwaukee Public Market stated.
“Over three days, attendees will engage in an opening plenary, interactive panels and discussions, networking and social events, guided tours, and offsite workshops that showcase Milwaukee’s diverse markets, highlighting innovative practices and exemplary models in action. The conference will highlight the city’s wide array of public markets, including Milwaukee Public Market, West Allis Farmers Market, Fondy Farmers Market, Milwaukee Night Market, and Zocalo Food Truck Park. It will also introduce two exciting new additions to Wisconsin’s public market scene: the Green Bay Public Market and the Madison Public Market, both slated to open in spring 2025.”
On Broadway President/CEO Brian Johnson, who is also the Green Bay Council President and abstained from voting on both matters, said that he was “excited for our friends at the Milwaukee Public Market to co-host this prestigious conference here in Wisconsin.”
“Our support for their application was rooted in our own experiences attending this international three-day event that brings public market experts together from across the globe. We’re looking forward to participating in the festivities and sharing the collective excitement within our network to help welcome a global market audience to the state of Wisconsin,” he added.
